1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to data storage systems and also, to locator systems and more particularly to a fastening device that provides the properties of data storage as well as the ability to install data into and retrieve data from the device and to locate the device when needed, as for instance in filing systems.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Hodge, U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,804 teaches several embodiments of tension-indicating fasteners that include tension indicators having indicating arms equipped with a laterally-extending contact member or a foot portion. A contact member extends in a tangential direction from the fastener head. The indicating arm is secured to the fastener and, by having laterally-distant contact points, the deflection of a substrate caused by the fastener head causes a distal end of the indicating arm to move with amplified magnitude. In still other embodiments of the invention, a fastener includes tension indicia for indicating a target degree of substrate deflection. The tension indicator may be disposed within a recess in the fastener head to allow the use of conventional tightening tools.
d""Agraives et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,048 teaches a sealing fastener including a unique identifier device for the individual fastener that enables ultrasonic identification of the device using an ultrasonic fault measuring system, and a frangible element within the fastener integrated with the identifier device that provides an ultrasonic signature indicating an attempt to loosen or remove the fastener when subjected to an ultrasonic signal generated by an ultrasonic fault measuring system. The unique identifier device includes a stack of individual metallic washer elements brazed together, with each washer element including discontinuities or cavities that are randomly arranged with respect to the cavities of the other washers in the stack. The fastener includes relatively movable portions that cause fracture of the frangible element upon any attempt to loosen or remove a fastener after it has been tightened or secured at its sealing location. An ultrasonic reading device includes an adapter that cooperates with the fastener to precisely locate an ultrasonic transducer with respect to the identifier and indicator so that a signature of the identifier and the indicator can be obtained in a single step using a single ultrasonic reading head associated with an ultrasonic fault detector system.
Brorby, U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,252 teaches a fastener provided with onboard memory in the form of a non-volatile memory device. The fastener defines a casing with an elongate body and a transverse gripping head, such casing defining a bore into which the nonvolatile memory device is placed. The memory device is mounted on a circuit board having a first side which defines a plurality of electrically conductive contacts for use in communicating with the memory device. The electrically conductive contacts are selectively exposed to provide access to the memory device. The other side of the circuit board is placed inside the casing and covered with potting material. Simple wiring on the small board, using through-hole vias, suffices to route power, ground, and data lines to the memory device, while providing a sealed durable package with at least three external contacts and fastening capabilities.
The prior art teaches the use of fasteners that provide indications of fastener status such as tensile condition, fasteners that provide the ability to be read by proximity devices, and fasteners with included memory features for the storage of data and with contacts for electrical signal transfer for reading the memory stored data, but fails to teach a fastener device having intelligence in the form of a microcomputer with data storage and processing capacity, wave energy signal transfer capability and optical recognition indicia. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
A fastener apparatus comprises in combination, a mechanical binding device such as a staple. The staple engages any type of material substrate such as sheets of paper forming a document. A microcomputer is mounted integrally with the staple and includes a data storage device such as a solid state memory providing a capacity for receiving and transferring a quantity of digital data. The microcomputer also provides a data processing device such as a microprocessor which provides a capacity for calculation using the digital data. A bi-directional data transfer port is adapted for receiving the digital data for transfer to the data storage device and to the data processing device and for transferring the digital data from the data storage device and from the data processing device. Data may be stored and retrieved electrostatically, magnetically, optically and mechanically so as to identify the document for identification and retrieval. Applications of the present invention include the identification of the document through a reader of the codes on or in the binding device, locating the document through a reader that is able to locate a particular binding device and select it from a large number of such devices in close proximity such as in a filing cabinet, transferring data into the binding device via static, magnetic or contact data transfer so as to reclassify the document, for instance, or the like, inputting data into the binding device so as to update the information or data stored therein and also to enable data processing within the invention to update statistical information as one example. Clearly, the invention may be facilitated with passwords to protect the stored data and allow retrieval from only authorized personnel. The data may be any material including what is contained within the document or other.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of binding a document as well as storing data pertaining to the document, its type, its location, its transfer route and a very wide range of other information limited only by the imagination.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of being located through its mechanical binding.
A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of data processing and the transfer of such data into and out of the invention.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.